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Itsmyluckyday updates

Updated: 5:19 PM EDT May 20, 2013

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Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO

Preakness Stakes contender Itsmyluckyday with jockey Elvis Trujillo in the saddle works 1/2 mile in 47 1/5 between the 3rd and 4th races at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, N.J., on Sunday, May 12.

Itsmyluckyday, who had finished 15th over the sloppy Churchill Downs track in the Kentucky Derby, rebounded with a strong showing at Pimlico. The son of Lawyer Ron, who was forwardly placed in fourth as Oxbow set a comfortable pace along the backstretch, kicked in through the stretch but could get no closer than 1 3/4 lengths of D. Wayne Lukas' sixth Preakness winner.

"I wouldn't take anything away from Wayne's horse, but they went the half in 48-and-change. That's pretty much walking. Did that help his horse? Absolutely. Did it hurt my horse? Absolutely," Plesa said. "I won't say anything other than: 'I wish the pace would have been quicker.'"

Plesa said Itsmyluckyday's dismal Derby showing did nothing to undermine his confidence in his colt's abilities, but he was happy that the Florida-bred got a chance to prove his critics wrong.

"Everybody was throwing him out because he couldn't get the distance and he ran a lousy race. I hate to use slop as an excuse, but it was a valid excuse. We all knew that," Plesa said. "Not for us, but for other people, it validates his ability. That's not a bad thing. They're like your children. You don't like to read something bad about your children. We know what we have. He's an exceptional horse; there's no doubt about it."

A start in the Belmont Stakes is far from a definite for the Gulfstream Park Derby and Holy Bull (G3) winner.

"It's 50-50 at best," Plesa said.

Itsmyluckyday, who was scheduled to ship to Monmouth Park Sunday, is a far more definite candidate to run in the Haskell Invitational at the New Jersey track on July 28.

"The Haskell is on my list. God willing, that's a certainty," Plesa said.

Friday, May 17 -- Eddie Plesa Jr. looked on as Itsmyluckyday's coat glistened in the morning sun following a bath outside the Preakness Stakes Barn Friday morning. The veteran South Florida trainer liked what he saw, just as he liked what he saw at the 2012 Ocala Breeders' March sale.

"I liked the pedigree and I liked what he would become as far as growing up. You can look at horses and you can envision what they're going to turn out to be. That's part of the process," Plesa said. "He certainly exceeded my expectations."

When he purchased Itsmyluckyday for his wife, Laurie, and the Trilogy Stable for $110,000, Plesa didn't exactly envision that the son of Lawyer Ron would develop into a Kentucky Derby and Preakness starter.

"For someone to say that, you're telling a little story. Way, way, way back in your mind, you might say, 'I hope.' But I didn't look at him and say, 'My Derby horse!'" Plesa said. "I liked the pedigree and I liked what I saw, and we were lucky enough that he fell into our price category."

Itsmyluckyday, who went to the track for a routine gallop Friday morning, finished 15th in the Kentucky Derby over a sloppy track that his connections blame for the subpar performance. His only "off" track experience produced a four-length victory in a minor stakes at Calder last year.

"People look to Calder and you can't compare them. Calder's like no other racetrack when it's sloppy. It's a sand racetrack and when it rains, it tightens the racetrack up. There might be puddles on top and it might splash back at you, but as far as firmness for the horse, it's firmer when it rains than when it doesn't rain," Plesa said. "The slop line at Calder ... people who put credence into it are doing wrong."

Plesa said he was hoping for a fast track, over which everyone would get a fair chance.

Thursday, May 16 -- Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. is set to saddle Itsmyluckyday for a start in Saturday's Preakness Stakes with full confidence that the Gulfstream Park Derby and Holy Bull (G3) winner will fire his best race."He's given me every sign that he's ready for the war; he's ready for the race; he's ready for the battle," said Plesa, after sending Itsmyluckyday for a gallop around Pimlico's racetrack Thursday morning. "Let's just get it on."The veteran South Florida-based trainer also knows what his colt will be up against when he clashes with Kentucky Derby winner Orb in the Preakness."He's the best 3-year-old in the country, no question about it. He could be Horse of the Year. We could be sitting here in a very short period of time and they could be talking about him as Horse of the Year," Plesa said. "Orb has been sensational since he turned 3, and he's absolutely the horse to beat for all of us. He deserves the accolades he's getting."Itsmyluckyday, who finished second behind Orb in the Florida Derby (G1) on March 30, finished 15th in the Kentucky Derby, which was contested over a sloppy, sealed racetrack."To me it is a throw-out, no doubt about it. I just want him to be able to show what he's capable of doing and what he did at Gulfstream wasn't a byproduct of a bias for a surface, and I don't think it was," Plesa said. "We believe he is capable of running those numbers at any racetrack. I thought the Derby was going to be the place, and it wasn't. As long as this racetrack is fast, he'll have no excuses."“He struggled with the racetrack (at Churchill), there’s no question about that. Did it take anything out of him? No more than a regular race. He’d have been running back in two weeks anyway. If I thought it took anything out of him, A) I wouldn’t have worked him and B), I don’t have to come here.”Itsmyluckyday, who turned in a sharp half-mile workout (47 1/5 seconds) at Monmouth Park Sunday before shipping to Pimlico Tuesday, has shown all the signs of being ready to revert back to the form he showed in Florida last winter.“His work Sunday -- he just worked so effortlessly – his energy level, the way he looks – all the things that you would look for,” Plesa said. “He’s just doing great. He’s ready to run. All we’re asking for is a fast racetrack. I don’t want to use that as an excuse again I don’t want excuses. I just want to be a realist.”

Wednesday, May 15 -- Trilogy Stable and Laurie Plesa's Itsmyluckyday, who was vanned from Monmouth Park Tuesday, visited the racetrack at Pimlico Wednesday morning for a light jog.

"He was great. We couldn't have asked for any better," said Frankie Perez, assistant to trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. "He's been giving us 110 percent training-wise. He's happy. He was happy arriving here (Tuesday) and he’s doing great. He's ready to run."

The Gulfstream Park Derby and Holy Bull (G3) winner, who finished 15th in the Kentucky Derby, will be ridden for the first time by John Velazquez.

Due to the closure of the Monmouth racetrack during training hours Sunday morning, trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. received permission to work Itsmyluckyday between the third and fourth races. The son of Lawyer Ron breezed a half-mile over a fast track in a swift 47 1/5 seconds before galloping out five furlongs in 59 3/5 seconds.

The Florida-bred colt finished a disappointing 15th behind victorious Orb in the Kentucky Derby over a sloppy, sealed Churchill Downs racetrack on May 4. Previously, he had captured the Gulfstream Park Derby and Holy Bull (G3) before finishing second to Orb in the Florida Derby (G1).